Sanitary disposable dust pan



Feb. 16, 1960 H. E. SEIBERT SANITARY DISPOSABLE DUST PAN Filed Nov. 26, 1958 INVENTOR. ///1VYf. 65/5527 UnitedStates Patent 2,924,841 SANITARY DISPOSABLETDUSTPAN Harvey E. Seibert, Baltimore, Md. Application November 26, 1958, Serial No. 776,613

8 Claims. c1. 1s--257.9

This invention relates to a dust pan device, and it more particularly relates to a dust pan device of the disposable type.

,As every housewife knows, the ordinary type of metallic or hard plastic dust pan not only tends to become dirty and malodorous, but also eventually becomes warped and bent so that it does not present a straight and true edge to receive the sweepings. Furthermore, even when new, the ordinary type of dust pan does not present an edge which is sufficiently close to the floor or other surface being swept to prevent some of the sweepings from moving under the dust pan. As a result, it is generally necessary to keep moving the dust pan back to sweep additional sweepings thereon.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above and other difliculties of prior dust pan devices by providing a disposable type dust pan device which will not permit sweepings to move thereunder between .its edge and the floor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dust pan device of the above type which is simple in construction and easy to use.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved dust pan device, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efiicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a blank used in making a dust pan embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the completed dust pan made from the blank of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view form of the invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, wherein :s'imilar reference characters refer to similar parts, there .is shown a dust pan device, generally designated 10, which is formed from a blank generally designated 12. This blank 12 is preferably made-of paper, cardboard, molded paper pulp or similar comparatively inexpensive and hence readily disposable material.

The blank 12 comprises a bottom wall 14 having a straight front edge 16 connected to straight side edges 18 by slightly curved or rounded corners 20. These edges 18 extend parallel with each other and mate with rounded corners 22 integral with a slightly outwardlybowed rear edge 24. V

Extending rearwardly from the inner end of each rounded corner 20 is a fold line 26. Each fold line 26 extends at an inwardly inclined angle toward the rear of an alternative 2,924,841 Pa ented Feb. 1a, race until it mates with a rounded fold line corner 28. The corners 28 are inwardly spaced from the corners 22 and are connected by a rear fold line 30 which is likewise spaced from edge 24 but is generally parallel thereto. A series of outwardly radiating fold lines 32 extend between each of the corners 28 and the corresponding corners 22.

The front edge 16 of the blank 12 is provided with a strip 34 of pressure-sensitive tape having the adhesive surface thereof facing downwardly so that the inner portion of the strip is adhered to the bottom wall 14 adjacent the edge 16, while the outer portion of the strip extends freely outwardly of the edge 16 in a position to be adhered to any surface coming in contact therewith from below. The strip 34 extends the length of the edge 16 from one corner 20 to the other.

The dust pan 10 may be preformed by a machine press into first form, in which case, the fold and crease lines show where the folds will take place.

To form the dust pan 10 by hand from the blank 12, with all the crease and fold lines present, it is merely necessary to bend up the sides and rear portion of the bottom wall 14 outwardly of the fold lines 26 and 30. At the same time, the fold lines 32 are bent laterally to take up the play at the corners. The result is the dust pan 10 having a bot-tom wall 36 synonymous with the central portion of wall 14 of the blank 12, a pair of upwardly extending side walls 38 having rounded forward ends 40, upwardly and rearwardly inclined edges 42, a rear wall 44 of slightly outwardly inclined and bowed shape, and corrugated corners 46. The front edge 16 and pressure-sensitive tape 34 are identical with the original corresponding parts on the blank 12.

If sold to the use in blank form, the blank will be fiat and occupy a minimum of space, but if in first form as at 12, the pans may be nested in a package. Of course, suitable protective tape may be placed over the pressuresensitive surface to be removed when used.

In use, the pan 10 is set down on a floor, mg, or other surface in the same manner as an ordinary dust pan. The edge is then stepped on or otherwise pressed down to adhere the pressure-sensitive tape 34 t0 the surface. This prevents any sweepings from moving under the edge of the pan while yet permitting easy lifting of the pan from the surface.

When the dust pan has been used, it may either be disposed of or, if not too soiled, may be used again.

If desired, instead of using a pressure-sensitive tape extending loosely from the forward edge of the pan, the adhesive surface may be provided directly on the bottom of the pan adjacent the forward edge thereof. The adhesive may be a strip of pressure-sensitive tape such as shown at 50 in Fig. 5, wherein the tape 50 is so placed that its forward edge corresponds with the forward edge of the bottom of the dust pan 52. Instead of a strip of tape such as shown at 50, adhesive material may be provided directly on the bottom marginal portion of the pan.

In Fig. 6 there is shown an alternative form of the invention where the dust pan 60 is constructed similarly to dust pan 10 in almost every detail except that the corners 62 between the side walls 64 and rear wall 66 are flat rather than corrugated and are formed by crimping or pleating the extra material at each end of the corners as at 68.

The pressure sensitive surfaces of the above-described dust pans may be protected in a conventional manner such as by Holland cloth or otherwise, while being stored prior to use. The pans can also be hung on cupboard walls or the like by means of these pressure-sensitive surfaces.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and" the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A disposable dust pan device comprising a flexible bottom wall constructed'of 'readil'y disposable comparatively inexpensive material and integral with oppositelydisposed side walls and a rearwall', the' f'orward end of the device being open and defined by -a marginal portion having a ressure-sensitive adhesive bottom surface.

2. The device of claim 1 whereinv said marginal portion comprises a strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape connected to the forward edge of the bottom wall.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said margi'nalportion comprises the forward marginal portion of said bottom wall, the pressure-sensitive adhesive surface comprising an adhesive substance on the bottom face of said forward marginal portion.

4. A dust pan device comprising a flexible bottom wall, a pair of oppositely-disposed side walls integral with said bottom wall, a rear wall integral with said bottom wall, laterally-folded corners between said side walls and said rear wall, and an open front end defined by a marginal portion having" a pressure-sensitive adhesive bottom surface.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said marginal portion comprises a strip of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape connected to the forward edge of said bottom wall.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein said marginal portion comprises a pressure-sensitive adhesive undersurface on the marginal portion of said bottom wall.

7. The device of claim 4 wherein said corners are corrugated, the corrugations. being formed by the lateral folds.

8. The device of claim 4- wherein said corners are flat and are defined by laterally overfolded crimped ends.

References Cited in the file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 190,499 Lauback May 8, 1877 360,709 Austin Apr. 5, 1887 469,709 Miles .M'ar. 1,1 1892 554,848 Whitney Feb. 18, 1.896 737,688 Wheeler ....,.Sept. 1, 1903 1,384,076 McCallan July 12, 1921 L l-24,761 'Hall Aug. 8, 1922 

